Comfort and Loss
by Dr.Indigo
Summary: A gripping tale about the heartache of losing true love and the rapture of finding it anew. As told from the perspectives of everyone's favorite canine half-blood and his new mate. Rated T for mild suggestive themes and a gut-wrenching death scene in a later chapter. May not be suitable for younger readers.
1. Chapter 1: Morning Routines

Hello everyone, Dr. Indigo here, and welcome to the first chapter of my latest fanfiction project. As of this point I don't have a whole lot to say about it, other than that it is a story for the Balto franchise (which is owned by Universal and not me), and that it will be about 3 to 4 chapters in total, depending on whether or not I choose to write an epilogue. So without further ado, let's just get this show on the road. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Morning Routines.

Warmth…

That was always the first thing to return whenever sleep released its grip on his senses.

Whether it was from the embers in the fireplace beside his bed or the breath of the dog he chose to share it with, the warmth was always the first thing he noticed. Not that this was problem. In fact, he couldn't imagine a more pleasant thing to wake up to in the morning.

Usually by the time the warmth reached his bones his other senses would start to kick in. First his ears would be treated to the melodious sound of the local loons accompanied by the oh-so adorable snoring of his bedmate. Next his nose would start to twitch, stimulated either by the greasy aroma of meat cooking in the kitchen or by the flowery sweet scent of perfumed fur. Sometime after that his eyes would open and then his day would begin.

This was the typical morning routine for Balto and today was no exception.

As the last lingering vestiges of sleep finally faded from his body, the noble wolf-dog let out a yawn and slowly lifted himself off the large red cushion that was his bed; taking special care not to disturb his still slumbering mate. Though she was just a dainty little thing, she had a great responsibility, so she needed to rest a little longer than he did. And besides he liked watching her sleep, all curled up like a little ball of cuddlesome fluff. She was almost too adorable for words.

Before he could gaze much longer upon his dozing lover, Balto's stomach let out a low growl, telling him it was time for breakfast. So without any further delay, the handsome half-blood gave his spine a quick stretch and quietly walked off toward the kitchen, where their owner was undoubtedly preparing their first meal of the day.

'Owner…' he said internally, mulling over the word as if this was the first time he had ever heard it. 'Never thought I'd see the day…'

And to be perfectly frank neither did anyone else. In spite of his elevating standing among the community, Balto's less than laudable lineage was still enough to put most humans on edge. So the likelihood of him ever being permanently welcomed into someone's home was always extremely slim. That is of course until he met Ms. Dorothy.

Oh… Ms. Dorothy, wife of the local butcher and just about the kindest woman you'd ever want to meet. She had another name of course, like all humans did, but since the animal folk never needed such things to tell each other apart Balto never bothered to learn it. No, to him she was just Ms. Dorothy and that was enough. For what other name could properly describe such a woman. Ms. Dorothy, who took him in to her home and gave him a warm bed to sleep in. Ms. Dorothy, who fed him delicious cuts of exotic meats three times a day. Ms. Dorothy, who washed and brushed his shaggy coat and gave him pleasant scratches behind the ears. Indeed, what a truly wonderful woman she was to take in one such as him, even if she could get a bit too touchy-feely for his liking.

"Good morning," said a honeyed voice as the handsome half-blood as he entered the kitchen. "Sleep well Mr. Balto?"

Balto replied with a polite 'Yes ma'am', though to her ears it sounded more like 'Bark Bark'.

"Glad to hear it," she replied with playful giggle, pretending that they were having a real conversation. "I'll bet you're hungry, aren't you boy?"

In spite of his fondness for Ms. Dorothy, the noble wolf-dog was still a bit uncomfortable with being called 'boy'. However, he hid his discomfort, not wanting to appear rude, and merely nodded in response.

"Well that's just perfect," she said before breaking into a little sing-song speech. "Because~ I've got something extra special for you today~ a nice, juicy, steak~"

At the end of that last little line of sing-song she held up the meat in question and it was truly a thing of beauty; Two inches thick, five inches long, laced with delicious fat, and still dripping with blood. Dorothy giggled when she saw how mesmerized he was by the raw slab of cow flesh; she even held it up to his nose just to tease him a bit. However, just as his instincts kicked in and he tried to gobble up the delectable morsel, she pulled it just out of his reach; causing her to let out another playful giggle.

"No, no, no, my little Prince, be patient~" Ms. Dorothy said playfully, wagging her index finger in mock disapproval. "This particular little steaky-wakey comes to us all the way from the Orient. My Henry used a few of his extra-special connections to have it shipped to our sleepy little town for an extra-special client, and he was nice enough to let me have some samples to give to you and my little Princess~" There was a hint of mischief in her voice as she spoke; still dangling the bloody morsel just inches out of reach. "So since this is such an extra-special treat, I think _somebody _should have to earn it first~"

Balto resisted the urge to wince. He knew all too well where this was going. A short time after he had begun living with Ms. Dorothy, one of her lady friends suggested that she instill a few basic commands into him; just in case any of his _baser instincts _ever kicked in. A ridiculous and completely unnecessary notion, but unfortunately his new master was all for it. So for the next several weeks the noble wolf-dog was put through a rigorous, not to mention humiliating, training regimen and by the time it was finally over he was perfectly conditioned to perform over a dozen tricks at his giggling master's command.

For several months afterward, Ms. Dorothy would bring him out whenever they had company and make him perform for them like a Circus Poodle. She would make him sit-up, laydown, rollover, speak, beg, shake hands, and host of other simple tricks which, while always met with applause and complements, were completely degrading. Luckily however the novelty of his tricks eventually wore off and his master ceased making him perform for guests. However, every so often, the butcher's wife would make up some excuse to try out her commands and it looked like now was one of times.

"Now then Mr. Balto," the human woman said in a sweet yet command tone. "Sit for Mama."

Balto obeyed without resistance. Not that it would've made much difference if he tried. In spite of being a bit flighty, Ms. Dorothy turned out to be a superb dog trainer.

"Good boy, now speak."

Again Balto obeyed, responding with three quick barks. They didn't mean anything in particular. Though Ms. Dorothy had sworn on several occasions that he was saying 'I Love You'.

"Oh, my, my, my, so smart _and _handsome; no wonder my little Sweetie Pie loves you so much." She said affectionately. "Alrighty then, just one more and you get your treat. Balto… Beg."

A split-second after the command was given Balto went into position. He raised his two front legs up and pointed his paws downward in a submissive fashion. Then he turned his snout in a similar downward fashion and began to whimper pleadingly. Of all the tricks the noble half-blood had had instilled into his brain, this one was the most humiliating. Unfortunately it was also Ms. Dorothy's absolute favorite.

"Aw~ You are just too adorable~" the butcher's wife cooed sweetly as she knelt down to his level and began to scratch him behind the ears. "You're just my perfect little Prince aren't you? Yes you are~ Yes you are~"

Although these tricks were always degrading, Balto could never bring himself to be angry at Ms. Dorothy for making him perform them. She never meant any harm and she was always quick to reward him with lots of praise and affection; so really a few brief moments of humiliation here and there were a small price to pay.

"Oh~ You're such a good boy Mr. Balto. Yes you are. Yes you are. And good boys deserve their rewards~" she said as she held the desired cut of meat up to his waiting maw. "Go on sweetie, eat it all up, you've earned it."

Not needing to be told twice, the noble, if somewhat domesticated, wolf-dog gladly ate the succulent morsel out of his master's hand. Much to his delight, the raw steak was just as toothsome as advertised. The tender flesh, the scrumptious fat, it was an absolute taste sensation. It was almost a tragedy when he finally had to swallow.

"My, my, you were hungry weren't you boy?" she asked in a playful yet motherly tone. "And did my handsome little Prince enjoy his breakfast?"

Balto said nothing, opting to instead lick the residual blood off his lips; fortunately Ms. Dorothy took that as a 'yes'.

"Glad to hear it," said the butcher's wife as she stood up and walked back to her cutting board. "But just remember, no more until lunch. I can't have my little Princey-Poo getting all chubby-wubby~"

And with that said she grabbed her cleaver and began hacking away at the other steak she had set aside. With skill and quickness equal to that of her husband, Ms. Dorothy chopped the bloody slab into bite sized cubes. Once that was finished, she lifted up the left side of the cutting board and carefully slid all of the meaty chunks into a polished silver bowl.

"Hmm, I do believe I hear my little Princess waking up." She said as she knelt down once again; this time with the silver dog dish in hand. "I bet she'd just love it if her hubby brought her breakfast in bed. Don't you think?"

Ms. Dorothy was nothing if not odd, but she was well versed in the ways of romance; or dog breeding, depending on your perspective. And Balto had learned long ago that whenever she told him to do something in regards to his mate, it was usually a good idea to listen to her. So he took silver bowl in his teeth and, after giving a respectful nod to his peculiar master, walked back into the living room; taking special care not to drop a single scrap of scrumptious meat.

Much to his elation, Ms. Dorothy had been correct; his beloved was indeed beginning to stir form her slumber. This was just too perfect; for although he would never voice this in the company of other canines, he really did think of _her _as his Princess and what better way for a Princess to wake up, than to be served breakfast in bed by her beloved Prince.

As he approached the crimson cushion that was his bed, Balto paused for just a moment to take in the form of the creature he shared it with. Part of him still couldn't believe this was real; eighteen months ago he would've never thought he'd end up with a dog like her and not for the reasons one might think. For one thing she was very… small, much smaller than himself; at least one-third his own size, if he had to guess. And while he had never been one to put too much stock in a female's appearance, back then, ideally, he would've preferred to stay with one a little closer to his body type; if for no other reason than familiarity. Secondly there was the matter of her personality. His current mate was, for lack of a better phrase, not the brightest star in the sky. She wasn't stupid, at least not as much as everyone thought, but she was a bit ditzy, had a tendency to mix-up her vocabulary, and seemed to think about grooming more than anything else; none of which were qualities he particularly desired in a mate even to this day. Lastly there was the little matter of her breed. Unlike his previous lover, she was not a husky, and while he wasn't technically one either, they did bare enough of a resemblance to himself to make him feel comfortable around them; once again, tying into his desire for the familiar. Indeed, over a year ago he never would have pictured himself falling for a dog like her, but then again that was before the _**incident**_.

Since then he had learned a great deal; about love and about himself. For instance, a short time after the _**incident **_he learned that familiarity, while comforting, is vastly overrated. Sometimes in order to move forward, one must be willing to embrace the new and different. And sometimes when one embraces the unfamiliar they discover things they never imagined. In the case of the tiny Pomeranian he had chosen as his mate, Balto discovered that beneath her skin-deep vanity and apparent lack of intelligence there was the soul of an angel. She was sweet, empathetic, nurturing, and possessed some of the finest maternal instincts he had ever seen; which she would come in handy in the near future. All that, coupled with a newfound appreciation for her adorably compact size, and the stoic wolf-dog was forced to admit that he had found his perfect life partner.

A gentle yawn quickly brought him back to reality and he soon found himself face-to-face with his no longer sleeping beauty. Even with her advanced state of bedhead, she was still a vision of loveliness. Her white and pale-lavender fur was still frizzed up from her extended slumber; giving her the appearance of a lady's powder-puff. Her eyes, though still somewhat glazed, sparkled like the precious gems that they were. Indeed every inch of her, from perfectly manicured paws to her beautiful bushy tail right down to that cute little beauty mark on her left cheek, was absolutely ravishing. But of course her most attractive feature, at least from his perspective, was her swollen belly. Whereas some dogs might find such a thing repulsive, he saw it as a sign of wonderful things to come. To him it made her look like a glorious goddess of love and fertility.

"Morning Sweetie…" she said with another tiny yawn; her voice like that of a young fairy. "Oh, is all that for little old me? You shouldn't have."

Carefully, Balto placed the sliver dish on the floor in front of her, freeing his mouth to give an answer.

"Don't be ridiculous." He said in a calm yet affectionate tone. "Nothing's too good for you Dixie."

End Notes: One chapter down and only two or three more to go. I hope you all enjoyed the setup and please feel free to write a review before you leave. Constructive Criticism is encouraged but all rude or insulting remarks will be removed so if you don't like this series or this pairing don't berate me about it by using foul language. I mean it. Anyway, see in the next one. Peace.


	2. Chapter 2: Forward and Back

Hello and welcome to the next chapter of Comfort and Loss. A couple things to get out of the way before we start. 1. I do not own the Balto franchise or any of its characters. That honor belongs to Universal. 2. Although I fully intend to finish this story with no less than 3 chapters, this will be the last chapter posted until mid-December. You see, I'm graduating from college this semester with a double major in English and History, and before that I have 3 English papers due at the end of the month. Then after that I have final exams and the point is I won't have as much time to dedicate to writing Fan Fiction until after graduation. So please be patient while waiting for Chapter 3. 3. Sunday is my Birthday. I'm turning 23. So if you like this story, please send me a shout out. With all that said please enjoy.

Chapter 2: Looking Forward and Looking Back.

Full…

Such a peculiar word don't you think? Only four letters and yet it has such a multitude of meanings.

For example, one definition refers to a state of being in which something that was once empty or hollow suddenly becomes filled to capacity. Humans, and certain types of animals like dogs or cats, sometimes use this word to describe the condition of certain parts of their anatomy; almost always referring to either the stomach, the heart or the brain. In the case of the mate of a certain local hero, two of these three sayings presently applied.

No one ever accused Dixie of having a full head, unless of course the word full was accompanied by either 'of rocks' or 'of air', but she had long since made a habit of not letting such things trouble her; especially on days like this one, when her heart and, if only for the moment, her stomach were so wonderfully full. The sound of his strong masculine heart beating against her ear, the gentle stroke of his right front paw against her bloated belly, the oh-so adorable way he would nip at her ears just to make her giggle; it was like the Pom's entire body had been filled with sugar-coated liquid flame. This coupled with the scrumptious feast of slaughtered, blood-soaked beef currently resting in her swollen stomach made her feel as though she had reached a state of pure saccharine bliss. Unfortunately there was another meaning of the word fullthat also presently applied to the Half-Blood's lover and it was far less flattering than the first.

For you see, the word full can also be used to describe the state of a creature's figure, or to put it more bluntly full can be used as a polite substitute for _fat_. And although Dixie was loath to admit it, she had gotten very, very fat in recent months. Not that she regretted it mind you, heavens no, she knew this would happen the moment she gave her heart to him, but still it was quite painful for one such as her to watch her body go so quickly. Weeks of excessive snacking had not only given her a bloated belly, but also fattened up her face and rounded out her rump. She knew she wouldn't remain this size forever, but she also knew she'd never be original size again either and that was more than enough to put a serious dent in her ideal self-image. But on the other hand, the extra weight did come with a few advantages.

Firstly, because of her new physique Dixie had trouble walking long distances, so Balto insisted that he carry her on his back whenever they went out. As childish as it might sound, the little Pom found it quite enjoyable to be paraded around town on the back of such a strapping young specimen; it made her feel like a princess. Well, more of a princess anyway. Second, in addition to carrying her around town like the queen of her own parade, her handsome half-blood had also gone out of his way over the last few weeks just to make sure she felt secure in her new size. He would constantly shower her with complements, cuddle with her whenever and wherever she wanted, and on some occasions she was even able to get him to use Pet Names; something her luscious lover was a bit too reluctant to do under normal circumstances. Dixie hated taking advantage of him like that, but she just couldn't help it; all this extra doting made her Sweetie even more unbelievably adorable than he already was. As for the third advantage, well… that one pretty much goes without saying.

It had been about ten minutes since Dixie finished her breakfast and since it was still very early in the day the two lovers decided that for the moment they would just enjoy the pleasure of each other's company; before worrying about what they would do with the rest of the day.

As they laid together on the large crimson pillow that was their bed, Balto continued to caress his beloved's swollen stomach and playfully nip at her pointed ears; much to her delight. However it wasn't long before their blissful silence was broken by a single question.

"So Dixie," the handsome half-blood said softly in an attempt to strike up a conversation. "What did you think of breakfast?"

"Oh Honey, it was abso-tively scrumptious!" she answered in her trademark cutesy tone. "Dorothy really outdid herself this time."

"I'll say. No wonder she made me work for mine."

At this the pampered Pom's tiny ears began to perk.

"Oh really?" she asked playfully; her sugary voice laced with sinful innuendos. "Did she make you… show her your _tummy_~?"

"No, not this time, thankfully." Balto answered, sounding more than slightly embarrassed. Were it not for his thick fur, Dixie would have seen his face turn bright red.

"Too bad, that one's my favorite." the smaller dog said in a mock pout. "Sure wish I could make you do that. Then I could give you my Extra-Special _Tummy Rubs _anytime I want~ even when you say you're too tired~"

The wolf-dog's embarrassment, as well as his unseen blush, intensified, much to Dixie's amusement. As much as she loved her handsome hubby, messing with him like this was just too tempting. He just looked so cute whenever he got this flustered and flustered he most certainly was. So much so that he immediately attempted to shift the conversation into a less provocative direction.

"So… Dixie… um…" he stammered, trying to think of a new talking point. For what felt like an eternity his eyes darted about the room, looking for something, anything to use as an excuse to end this awkward moment. Then his eyes fell upon his lover's bloated stomach and he let out a sigh of relief. "So… Dixie, how many do you think there will be?"

Now it was Dixie's turn to feel embarrassed, although for completely different reasons. This question hadn't crossed her mind before, but by all rights it really should have. Expectant mothers were supposed to think about these things weren't they?

"Oh, well… I'm not really sure." The pampered Pom said as she pondered this question for a moment. "When I was growing up I had two sisters, but our momma always told us that she was an only child. So I guess somewhere between one and three… maybe."

"Huh, only about three eh?" he asked, though more for the sake of thinking aloud than trying to get an answer. "I was hoping for a few more, but I guess that just makes the ones we'll get all the more special."

"Exactly, and our puppies will be the cutesy wootsiest little darlings in the whole wide world." The smaller dog said with a fairy-like giggle. Just the thought of all the tiny, fluffy, yipping bundles of joy that would soon be scampering about their home was enough to fill her heart with unbridled maternal bliss. However, this bliss was soon broken when she noticed a dark look washing over her lover's face. "Balto, what's the matter?"

"It's just…" he said with a soft and slightly melancholy tone. "What if they're… like me."

"Now don't start that again!" Dixie answered, sounding more than a little annoyed. "I already told you, our puppies are going to be the sweetest and most adorable puppies in the entire world; no matter what they are or what they look like. And anyone who says different will have to deal with me!"

The pampered Pom let out a little snarl and bared her teeth to emphasize her point; though the effect was more humorous than threatening. Still it made the noble wolf-dog feel better to know that his children would have a mother so eager to protect them should their _lineage_ ever cause them any trouble.

"Well, that makes me feel better." Balto said playfully, a smile spread across his snout. "I know I wouldn't want to mess with you."

At this the smaller dog let out another fairy laugh.

"Oh you wouldn't would you?" she asked, sounding just as playful as her mate. "Well, then you just better make sure you stay on my good side. Otherwise I might mess you up."

The couple shared a tender laugh, each finding their own unique source of amusement what had just been said. Then once they had had their fill they resumed cuddling in silence.

As Dixie rested her head against the half-blood's chest she thought back to the days before they had become lovers; back when he was still with Jenna. Back then no one ever thought they'd end up together, largely because everyone thought he'd be with Jenna until the day he died; funny how something as insignificant as a rat could turn the entire world upside-down, but then again that's life she supposed.

At any rate, Balto remained in isolation for several weeks after the _**incident**_, only coming into town to find sustenance and even then he rarely spoke to anyone. All the other dogs knew what he was going through so nobody pried. Not that they needed to, for after all a dog's life is relatively short and even with his added wolf blood the handsome half-breed knew he couldn't mourn forever. That's why after only a little over a month of sorrowful self-imposed exile, Balto began the long and difficult task of finding a new mate.

Fortunately this proved to be a much easier task than it was the first time. Since replacing Steele as the town's hero and alpha dog, all the lovely ladies who once wouldn't even give him the time of day suddenly found him irresistible. Thinking about this made Dixie want to chastise all those girls for being so shallow and fickle, but she soon remembered that at the time she hadn't been much better so she just dismissed the idea and moved on with her recollection.

Now Dixie hadn't exactly been Balto's first choice for a new mate. As a matter of fact she had been his seventh. Before realizing that they were made for each other the handsome half-blood went through relationships with six other dogs; each one ending with varying degrees of failure.

First he tried to forge a relationship with Eska, a lovely young husky who bore a striking resemblance to Jenna, only with a silver coat. At first everything was fine, they got along quite well and she genuinely seemed interested in making a life together. However, two weeks into their love affair Eska accidently let it slip that she still harbored some prejudices about his lineage, which led him to believe that she was going out with him for the attention. Well it was all downhill from there and eventually the relationship ended with lots of yelling and inappropriate name-calling.

After that fiasco, the noble wolf-dog tried his luck with another husky, a slightly younger maiden by the name of Bubbles. Oh what a train wreck that was. And people thought Dixie was an idiot. Where the tiny Pom had a habit mixing up certain words, Bubbles forgot names. Over the course of their three day relationship she called him Bingo, Bongo, Billy, Baron, Byron, Bjorn, Bjork, Bernard, and on more than one occasion Elizabeth. Needless to say Balto saw no future with this girl.

A short time after that he started dating yet another young husky, this one named Adelaide. There wasn't anything wrong with her, but they had trouble connecting on an emotional level so the relationship died within a week.

After Adelaide, Balto backed off from the dating scene for a little while; the emotional whiplash of three failed relationships after such a horrific tragedy was apparently more than he could handle at the time. During this brief respite he had an epiphany. He realized that limiting himself only to huskies was both a means for him to cling to the past and a detriment to any future happiness he might achieve. So when he finally returned to the dating circuit the noble half-blood decided to widen his range.

To this end, he sought out one of Jenna's closest friends, Sylvie the Afghan. Unfortunately this relationship didn't last as long as he'd hope. He found Sylvie to be a bit too _**eager**_ for his liking. Now dogs may move on a bit faster than humans, but trying to get into bed with someone on the first date; that was too fast even for a canine. Though in Sylvie's defense, she had been out of the dating circuit herself for quite some time and her instincts were a bit rusty. Nevertheless their love affair ended before it ever really began.

Sometime after that he began seeing Pricilla, a pug. She was… nice, in her own way, but were a couple of things about her that bothered him. First there was her incessant need to call him Pookums, even when they were in public. Second there was the little matter of her eating habits. She ate more like a pig than a dog and she held no inhibitions about belching whenever and wherever she pleased. Lastly, as you may have already guessed, Pricilla was very _**full**_ for a dog her size, if you catch my meaning. And although Balto was never one to put much stock into a lady's appearance even he had his limits. So after a week and a half they broke it off.

Then there was Fifi, the local French poodle. Of all the relationships the noble half-blood had between losing Jenna and finding Dixie that one was the most enjoyable. Fifi, although a bit snooty, was very sweet and loving. Oh they had such a wonderful time together, wonderful enough to renew his faith in ever finding true love again. Unfortunately Fifi wasn't at all interested in starting a family. So even though they enjoyed each other's company immensely, they eventually realized it was best if they just remained friends.

Not long after that, Balto got together with Dixie and the rest, as they say, is history.

In all honesty, the pampered Pom still had trouble believing that this was real. Sure it felt real, but then again so do all dreams. Some days, when she woke up to find herself alone in bed, she half expected to learn that her beloved half-blood still with Jenna, but of course this was never the case.

Still, it was a tough pill to swallow that such happiness could be born from such a horrific tragedy. That such a loving relationship could be forged from the bite of a single rat. That a family could be created from a single case of ra… ra… ra… oh dear!

Dixie's lengthy stroll through the garden of her mind was suddenly halted by an overwhelming pain emanating from her stomach. It was as if something deep within was pushing through her insides trying to get out. Although this sensation was unfamiliar, the tiny dog knew exactly what it meant.

"Ooooooooooooo!" she howled in agony, unintentionally startling her mate. "They're coming!"

"Coming?" Balto asked, sounding more than a little panicky. "You mean right now?"

"Of course right now!" the tiny Pom snapped before letting out another howl. "Go get Dorothy! And hurry!"

Without hesitation the handsome half-blood obeyed and rushed into the kitchen to fetch their master.

"Oooooooooooooh! Please hurry!" Dixie moaned as a new wave of pain washed over her. "These cuties won't wait forever!"

End Notes: Sorry to leave you all hanging like this, but I promise the next chapter will be worth the long wait. As usual, any comments, critiques, or questions you may have are welcome and encouraged. Until we again fair reader.


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